You’ve been building links for your website, but the SEO results aren’t as good as you expected. Is it just about the number of backlinks, or is there something more? That’s where understanding Referring Domains vs Backlinks becomes important. 

Many people focus only on backlinks, but having a good mix of referring domains is just as critical for improving your rankings.

In this guide, we’ll explore Referring Domains vs Backlinks, how they affect your SEO, and why you need to pay attention to both.

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks are links from other websites to your site. The more links you get from reputable websites, the more authority and trust your site earns from search engines, boosting your SEO rankings.

What Are Referring Domains?

Referring domains are the websites that link to your site. Each unique website that provides a backlink is counted as one referring domain, no matter how many links it has to your content. More diverse referring domains can help improve your site’s authority and visibility in search results.

Example: If the website “Abc.com” links to your site in three different blog posts, those links are considered backlinks. However, “Abc.com” counts as only one referring domain.

Difference Between Backlinks and Referring Domains

Understanding the differences between backlinks and referring domains is crucial for a successful SEO strategy. While both contribute to your site’s authority and rankings, their roles and impacts are not the same.

1. Quantity vs. Diversity

Here’s how quantity and diversity differ:

• Backlinks measure the total number of links to your site, even if they come from the same source.
• Referring domains count how many unique websites link to you, prioritizing diversity over sheer volume.

2. SEO Signals

How backlinks and referring domains impact SEO:

• Referring domains boost credibility by showing that multiple sources trust your content.
• Backlinks indicate content popularity but need diverse domains for maximum SEO value.

3. Quality vs. Quantity

Here’s why quality and quantity matter differently:

• Referring domains focus on getting links from trusted, high-authority sites.
• Backlinks prioritize the number of links, but too many from one domain can hurt your SEO.

4. Growth Potential

How each contributes to growth:

• Referring domains reflect your ability to attract links from new and diverse sources.
• Backlinks show content popularity but rely on referring domain diversity for sustained growth.

Which Matters More: Backlinks or Referring Domains?

It’s not about choosing between backlinks vs referring domains—both are essential. Think of backlinks as the building blocks and referring domains as the foundation. Without diverse referring domains, the value of your backlinks diminishes over time. A strong balance of quality backlinks and diverse referring domains is the key to SEO success.

Backlinks vs Referring Domains: Which is Most Important?

When it comes to backlinks vs referring domains, both are essential for SEO, but they serve different purposes. Here’s a quick breakdown of their importance:

1. Why Referring Domains Matter More in Some Cases

Search engines value diversity. A higher number of referring domains signals that your content is trusted by multiple websites, which can improve your rankings. For instance, tools like Ahrefs referring domains tracker help you monitor this diversity and ensure you’re building links from various sources.

2. When Backlinks Are Equally Important

While diversity matters, the sheer volume of backlinks still impacts SEO. High-quality backlinks from a trusted backlink domain can boost rankings, even if they come from fewer sources. However, relying too much on a single domain for links might limit growth in the long run.

3. Finding the Balance

A balance between diverse referring domains and high-quality backlinks is key. Focus on building backlinks from unique linking domains and ensure they come from relevant, authoritative sources. Tools like referring domain checkers and backlink monitors can help you track and optimize both metrics effectively.

Best Practices for Building Referring Domains and Quality Backlinks

Building diverse referring domains and high-quality backlinks is essential for improving your website’s SEO. Here are some best practices to help you succeed:

1. Create High-Value Content

Content that is valuable in nature, such as guides, case studies, or infographics, attracts many backlinks and diversifies referring domains. Relevant content that people would love to share invites other sites to link back to your website.

2. Focus on Outreach and Guest Blogging

Reach out to industry-related sites for backlinks and guest blogging. This would prove an excellent way for unique referring domains to attain your backlinks while expanding your network.

3. Prioritize Relevance and Authority

Get links from websites within your niche or industry. Search engines value backlinks from authoritative backlink domains that are related to your content. Tools like Ahrefs referring domains checker can help you identify high-authority websites for outreach.

4. Leverage Broken Link Building

Identify broken links on high-authority websites and offer your content as a replacement. This strategy can help you gain backlinks while adding new referring domains to your profile.

5. Monitor Your Link Profile

Use tools like Google Search Console or SEMrush to track your backlinks and referring domains. Check for spammy links or low-quality domains that may hurt your SEO. A balanced mix of domain backlinks and diverse referring domains is key.

Tools to Track Referring Domains and Backlinks

Monitoring the referring domains and backlinks to you is very crucial. These tools help track metrics such as referring pages, domain backlinks, and the quality of your links.

1. Ahrefs: Track Referring Domains and Backlinks

Ahrefs is a powerful tool for tracking referring domains and backlinks. Here’s how:

1. Log in to Ahrefs and navigate to the Site Explorer tool.
2. Enter your website URL and click “Search.”
3. Go to the Backlinks tab to view a list of backlinks pointing to your site.
4. Switch to the Referring Domains tab to see all unique domains linking to your site.
5. Analyze metrics like domain rating (DR) to prioritize high-quality referring domains.
6. Use the “New” and “Lost” filters to track changes in your backlinks and referring domains.

 

This Ahrefs screenshot shows referring domains (unique websites linking to your site) and the number of links (total backlinks from each domain). Referring domains indicate link diversity, while the “Links to Target” column highlights the number of backlinks from each domain.

2. SEMrush: Monitor Backlinks and Referring Domains

SEMrush offers a user-friendly interface for analyzing your link profile:

1. Log in to SEMrush and open the Backlink Analytics tool.
2. Enter your domain and click “Analyze.”
3. Go to the Referring Domains tab to view unique domains linking to your site.
4. Use the Backlinks tab to get all links and their details, along with anchor text and the authority score.
5. Establish an automated Backlink Audit to uncover toxic links and maintain a healthy profile of links.
6. Use Backlink Gap to compare with competitors for discovering link profiles and identify opportunities.

 

This SEMrush screenshot shows a Backlink Audit, which tracks backlinks (total links) and their referring domains (unique link sources). The audit highlights link diversity and quality and identifies harmful backlinks with metrics like toxicity scores.

3. Moz Link Explorer: Analyze Referring Domains and Backlinks

Moz Link Explorer provides detailed insights into link metrics:

1. Log in to Moz Pro and open Link Explorer.
2. Enter your website URL and click “Search.”
3. Check the Inbound Links tab for a list of backlinks and their page authority (PA).
4. Navigate to the Linking Domains tab to see a summary of referring domains and domain authority (DA).
5. Use the Spam Score feature to evaluate the quality of your backlinks and referring domains.

4. Google Search Console: Free Way to Track Links

Google Search Console is a free tool that gives basic link information:

1. Log in to your Google Search Console account.
2. Navigate to the Links section in the left-hand menu.
3. Under External Links, you’ll see the total number of backlinks and top linking pages.
4. Check Top Linking Sites to view referring domains.
5. Download the report for deeper analysis of linking pages and referring domains.

5. Majestic: Visualize Your Link Network

Majestic offers unique insights with visualizations of your link profile:

1. Log in to Majestic and open the Site Explorer tool.
2. Enter your website URL and click “Search.”
3. Go to the Ref Domains tab to view your referring domains and their trust flow.
4. Check the Backlinks tab to see all individual links pointing to your site.
5. Use the Link Graph feature to visualize your link network and identify opportunities to diversify your referring domains.

Tracking Tips

• Use these tools regularly to monitor changes in your backlinks vs referring domains.

• Pay attention to metrics like domain authority, anchor text, and spam scores to maintain a healthy link profile.

• Combine free tools like Google Search Console with paid options like Ahrefs or SEMrush for the best results.

Conclusion: Referring Domains vs Backlinks

Both referring domains and backlinks are essential for a strong SEO strategy. While backlinks measure the total links to your site, referring domains highlight the diversity and trustworthiness of those links. Striking a balance between quantity and diversity is key to improving your rankings and building authority.

Need help building high-quality backlinks from diverse referring domains? Let Outreach Monks handle it for you! Connect with us today to create a winning link-building strategy.

FAQs: Referring Domains vs Backlinks

Do Referring Domains Affect My Domain Authority?

Yes, referring domains directly impact domain authority. A diverse set of high-quality referring domains signals credibility to search engines, which can improve your domain authority and SEO rankings.

Can Too Many Backlinks From One Referring Domain Hurt Seo?

Yes, having too many backlinks from the same referring domain can appear unnatural and may harm your SEO. It’s better to focus on obtaining links from a variety of authoritative websites to maintain a healthy link profile.

Can I Lose Referring Domains Over Time?

Yes, referring domains can drop off if a site removes your backlink or shuts down. Regularly audit your link profile with tools like SEMrush or Moz to identify lost referring domains and take action to recover them if possible.

What Role Do Anchor Texts Play In Referring Domains vs. Backlinks?

Anchor text is crucial for both. In backlinks it provides context to search engines about the linked content. In referring domains, consistent and relevant anchor texts across diverse domains strengthen your link profile and keyword relevance.

What’s The Difference Between Internal Links And Backlinks?

Internal links connect pages within your website, while backlinks are external links from other websites to your content. Both are important, but backlinks (and their referring domains) have a greater impact on SEO authority and rankings.